COVID-19 numbers improving locally

The spread of the COVID-19 virus in Donley County appears to have leveled off in recent days, but Judge John Howard, MD, is cautious about being too optimistic at this point.

“This is an important week to see if we hold a trend of fewer people presenting with symptoms,” Howard said. “Our efforts to separate people have definitely resulted in fewer cases.”

The number of local residents who have tested positive for COVID-19 was 24 as of Tuesday, a net gain of one from the week before. There were actually two new positives in that timespan, but one previously confirmed positive case was determined late last week to have resided in another county and was removed from Donley’s total.

In addition to holding the line on new cases, 19 of the 24 positives were listed as recovered this week, leaving five active cases, and the number of negative local test results grew to 57.

Two Donley County residents who were hospitalized and on ventilators in Amarillo have also now reported to be off the ventilators and recovering. Late Tuesday, one of those patients was being released to come home from the hospital, according to social media.

Eighty-one local people in all have been tested at the Clarendon Family Medical Center. Four of those tests were pending Tuesday.

Howard said it’s too soon to say when businesses can re-open and what life will look like under a “new normal” and said the community will still have to do careful monitoring to make sure there isn’t another surge in the disease.

“Everyone must assume personal responsibility to stay safe themselves and to not transmit the disease to others,” Howard said, urging citizens to continue to avoid social distancing requirements and the county’s stay at home order.